Civilians feared killed after reports of air strike on Nigerian market
Civilians feared killed after reports of air strike on Nigerian market
The Nigerian military’s recent air strike near the Yobe-Borno border has sparked fears of civilian casualties, with conflicting accounts emerging about the number of people affected. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, targeted “identified terrorist locations” within Borno State’s Jilli axis, according to the Nigerian Air Force. However, the force has not yet confirmed whether the market was hit or if any lives were lost.
Local and international reports suggest varying casualty figures. Reuters, citing Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, a councillor in Yobe’s Geidam district, as well as three residents and an official from a humanitarian organization, reported that at least 200 individuals may have been killed. “It’s a very devastating incident,” Geidam stated, adding that the injured were transported to hospitals in Yobe and Borno.
“Such reckless use of deadly force is unlawful, outrageous and lays bare the Nigerian military’s shocking disregard for the lives of those it supposedly exists to protect,” said a post on X from Amnesty International’s Nigeria branch, following the strike that it claimed killed “over 100 people.”
Other sources, including the Nigerian outlets *Sun* and *Punch*, reported that only 10 people were killed, with several injured. Yet, *Daily Trust* quoted an eyewitness who said at least 56 had died, and 14 were hospitalized. The market, which typically draws traders and buyers from surrounding communities, was reportedly the focus of the attack.
Ahmed Ali, a 43-year-old market vendor, shared his experience with Reuters. “I became so scared and attempted to run away, but a friend dragged me and we all lay on the ground,” he recounted, describing the blast that left him injured.
In a Facebook statement, the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency noted it had received “preliminary reports” of casualties at the Jilli Market in Gubio local government area. The agency confirmed emergency teams were deployed but emphasized that details about the incident’s nature and death toll remain unconfirmed.
Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam, representing Yobe state, stated that some residents from the Geidam local government area had been impacted. “Some people from Geidam LGA bordering Gubio LGA in Borno state who went to the Jilli weekly market were affected,” he said.
The region has long been a battleground in the Boko Haram insurgency, which has displaced over two million people and claimed thousands of lives. While the military claims its operations aim to disrupt militant cells, past incidents have seen air strikes mistakenly target civilians in villages, refugee camps, and marketplaces, raising concerns about the accuracy of such missions.
